Weinsteins buy Russian pics

Central Partnership slate sells worldwide

MOSCOW — Russian independent production and distribution shingle Central Partnership closed a major multi-territory all rights deal with the Weinstein Company for key films from its market slate following this year’s AFM, the company said Thursday.

In a deal brokered by Armen Dishdishyan, head of Central Partnership Sales House — the company’s sales arm — with Weinstein’s Barry Gordon, executive VP home entertainment, boxing action drama “Revenge — Shadow Boxing 2,” helmed by Anton Megerdichev, and its prequel “Shadowboxing,” sold for North America, U.K., Australia, New Zealand and English-speaking South Africa.

Central Partnership’s hit fantasy epic, “Wolfhound,” helmed by Nikolai Lebedev, which has taken more than $21 million at the Russian box office, also sold to Weinstein for the same territories.

“Revenge” also sold to Brazil (Ocean Pictures) and China (Polybona Films).

In other sales, sci-fi prison thriller “Paragraph 78,” directed by Mikhail Khleberodov sold to France (SWIFT), while Suraya Filem picked it up for Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore.

Vladimir Khotinenko’s big new historical costume drama “1612” — about the Russo-Polish war that preceded the founding of the Romanov dynasty, sold to Hollywood C.E. for Czech Republic and Slovakia, China (New View) and Thailand (J-Bics).